A Honey That'll Love You Back

When you think of honey, you might envision mass-produced plastic bears pumped with sap. I felt the same way until beekeeper Marina Marchese gave me the buzz about Red Bee® artisanal honey.

Marchese, a graphic designer, wanted a change of pace and environment; to escape "the rat race" and work outdoors. After learning about honeybees from her neighbor, she instantly fell in love with the little creatures. She became a beekeeper, and now she's happier than ever.

Today, she owns and manages the Red Bee® apiary in Weston, CT. But she gives her bees the credit.

Marchese explains that female bees, called worker bees, forage nectar from flowers all day to carry nectar back to the hive. The bees have long tongues to reach the nectar, which is converted into honey by invertase, a special enzyme found in each worker bee's stomach. It takes over 500 worker bees to gather a single pound of honey from two million flowers.

Seems like a lot of work for an insect with a 30-day lifespan. But the result is a naturally antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial product that never expires. It's no wonder that the Romans equated it with gold and paid their taxes with it. Honey may not save you from the IRS, but it will help keep you well.

-Raw honey relieves allergy symptoms, sinus pressure, and sore throats.

-By ingesting local, raw honey, you build up a natural immunity to dust, mold and pollen in the air.

-Raw honey creates a type of peroxide solution due to its natural antibacterial property. It can be used to treat wounds and to care for the skin on a regular basis.

-Athletes use honey to keep their blood sugar in balance and to give them an energy charge.

Not All Honeys Are Created Equal. The flavors, textures, scents and colors of each type of honey differ, depending on the kinds of flowers the bees forage. Gallberry honey, for example, comes from an evergreen shrub with white flowers and produces a tangy, minty undertone. The stronger floral taste in goldenrod honey comes from clusters of pungent yellow flowers. Buckwheat honey is dark purple in color—reminiscent of molasses and contains hints of chocolate and fruit. Honeycomb is honey in its purest form, directly from the beehive. The waxy cells are edible, and burst with mild sweetness when you bite into it. Far different from the stuff you squeeze from a packet at a coffee shop!

When honey is mass-produced, it is usually pasteurized before it's bottled and shipped to supermarkets. While this process removes bacteria, it also removes the essential nutrients and vitamins that promote health.

Marina's honey is raw and unfiltered so you reap all the healthy benefits from honey in its most natural state. And that's a sweet thing.

Marina suggests you serve her honey with fresh fruits and cheeses as a quick, no-fuss, no-cook substitute for those unhealthy, expensive hors d'oeuvres. A honey-cheese platter is exotic and elegant. It will definitely be the rave of your next get-together. If you think cheese and honey aren't meant for one another, click here to read about the marriage between honey and cheese.

Here are a few more honey serving ideas:
-Drizzle honey onto Challah bread and top with dried cranberries and raisins
-Swirl over ice cream and sprinkle with walnuts
-Serve with low-fat yogurt and granola
-Use in place of simple sugar in cocktails
-Use as a marinade or glaze for lamb, pork, chicken or salmon

Please enjoy a 10% discount on Red Bee® honey products, including all varieties of Marina's artisanal honey, assorted gift baskets and everything on Marina's honey skin care line. Click here to visit the Red Bee® online shop. Be sure to use the code BTBHONEY10.


Featured in Photo: Marina Marchese, Beekeeper/Founder, Red Bee® Honey

— Written by Danielle Travali

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